I think looking at this with a knowledge of Tim's previous work, we'll note that the thing under the bed is so much scarier when it's human

I wouldn't go that far. I think the most gutting scary thing (to me) Tim's written was the moment where Angel betrayed us in Reunion. It's not about humanity -- it's about trust, and the complacency of thinking you know the boundaries of the situation.

I think Allyson is right when she describes Home as being about that one scene. Viewer and investigator alike are thinking rescue, right up until the reveal. The key shot, for me, wasn't Mrs. Peacock, but the long closeup on Mulder's face as he goes through WTF?, past Ew, and into the realm of Brains-Explodey. Reflecting back at the viewer her own thought-process, you know?

Of course, that is also the episode in which a sherriff (named Andy Taylor, no less) and his wife are beaten to death with baseball bats to the sweet strains of Jerry Mathis. Actually, the X-Files had a number of memorably sonorous violent tableaux (see: Never Again).

One thing I'd worry about, with this new show, is Millennium Bed Death -- the grimness is all people remembered about that show. It had its flashes of brilliance (the ending of the second season seemed to flirt with real, serious apocalypse, signalled by the narrative coherence of the episode fraying and failing), but the grimness and gratuitous ugliness made it hard for people to get into. (Compounded, I think, by the hero guy, who was like a charisma vacuum. On purpose, I think, but the show really needed some charisma.)

Allyson, have you ever seen the BBC show Wire in the Blood? Any comments?

Allyson, have you ever seen the BBC show Wire in the Blood?

Haven't seen it.

It's not about humanity -- it's about trust, and the complacency of thinking you know the boundaries of the situation.

Hm. Yeah that isn't it for me, but I get why it is for you.

Compounded, I think, by the hero guy, who was like a charisma vacuum. On purpose, I think, but the show really needed some charisma.)

We got charisma in spades. Web is fantastic, Adam is darkly snarky, and Katie is sort of like Tim Burton's version of a cheerleader. She peppy about the dark.

I get what you mean. I wanted to wrestle Lance Henrickson to the ground and dose him with ecstacy just to see if he knew how to smile. Or at least smirk. Anything at all. Something other than the way I look when i have a migraine and it's overcast and forgot my lunch money and have to eat a hot pocket.

I'll ask if I can give away some lines in spoilers lite.

That might be helpful.

Oooh! I'd like to add that as a request for the site. A few script pages for an upcoming episode or something, along with a sort of DVD extra style interview of a minute or two with Tim or Craig talking about how the story was developed.

I love this idea. You should send it over to Fox's web department people.

You should send it over to Fox's web department people.

And then I'll call Elvis Costello to write the theme music.

These people don't listen to me. I'm a fan. They'll just pat me on the head and pinch my cheeks and say, "oh aren't you the most precious little fan!"

And when I say, "Please don't be so condescending," they'll say, "oh and the cutie wittle fan knows such BIG WORDS!"

Not that I'm angry and bitter or anything. I've just, you know, been there and have had to talk to marketing people at FOX before, and that's how they always talk to me.

Okay, so you did realize I was kidding about calling them, right?

Dude. Put a disclaimer up.

It's me. I thought the disclaimer was implied.